Last night I saw Detroit, starring John Boyega and Will Poulter.
The 1967 Detroit Rebellion was a reaction to a police raid of an after-hours unlicensed black bar, where a celebration was being held to welcome back soldiers. Over 40 lives were lost and nearly 2,000 people were injured during the five days of riots.
One incident that erupted during that unsettling time happened at the Algiers Motel, where a group of young black men and two white women were held hostage by white police and tortured because of a gunshot the cops thought they heard coming from the property. By the end of the incident, three unarmed black men were dead. No weapon was ever found.
In Kathryn Bigelow's fictionalized version of that event, she retells what happened with minor poetic license. Though most are represented accurately (according to survivors and witnesses), dialog of course has to be imagined with the exception of phrases/insults that were recounted in court transcripts at the murder trials.
The film is long, but so was that night for the innocent victims who suffered at the hands of brutal racists. Watching their agony and seeing the merciless actions of the white men continue is just a painful reminder that we haven't come so far since then. Police brutality is alive and well in America, as is racism, so we must force ourselves to sit through art such as this to see why we can't let these injustices continue.
The performance Will Poulter gives as Krauss, the ringleader of the whole operation, is Oscar-worthy, as you can barely look at him by the time the film concludes. Also stellar is John Boyega as Dismukes, a black guard who witnessed the incident, but remained unharmed because he "befriended" the cops. The struggle to stay silent is reflected in his eyes as the horrors play out.
Though it was unpleasant and uncomfortable to watch, I truly hope that high schools around the country will show this film as part of their Civil Rights lessons and show how a dark period in America's past played out. If we don't convince the youth to be color-blind, we'll find ourselves right back in that horrible place in no time.
~~~
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Going in Style
Last night I screened Going in Style, starring Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine.
Willie (Freeman) and Al (Alan Arkin) are roommates. Joe (Caine) is their best friend. They are all former colleagues who spent years in blue collar work only to learn that their pension was being taken away from them.
Desperate to save his home, which is going into foreclosure, Joe suggests the three of them rob a bank. He was recently witness to one, and admired the efficiency and skill of the criminals. At first the other two scoff at the thought, but when things get really tight financially and they consider how many years they may or may not have left, they decide to go for it.
From consulting with someone from the other side of the tracks to choosing clever masks for the heist that align to their generation, there is a lot of silly in the film. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you go see this and don't expect it to be light, you're not getting the point.
Of course the men are fabulous actors. Of course the situation they find themselves in has you rooting for them (even if what they're doing is morally wrong). Of course things won't go precisely according to plan.
Where the film could be better: the broad strokes it draws of its various supporting cast. Everyone is a caricature from the surly waitress to the deadbeat son-in-law to the '80s-sitcom-style seductress. If those characters hadn't been so blatantly written, it would have been more believable.
But if you just want a fun romp with more cameos than you can keep track of, you could do worse.
~~~
Willie (Freeman) and Al (Alan Arkin) are roommates. Joe (Caine) is their best friend. They are all former colleagues who spent years in blue collar work only to learn that their pension was being taken away from them.
Desperate to save his home, which is going into foreclosure, Joe suggests the three of them rob a bank. He was recently witness to one, and admired the efficiency and skill of the criminals. At first the other two scoff at the thought, but when things get really tight financially and they consider how many years they may or may not have left, they decide to go for it.
From consulting with someone from the other side of the tracks to choosing clever masks for the heist that align to their generation, there is a lot of silly in the film. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you go see this and don't expect it to be light, you're not getting the point.
Of course the men are fabulous actors. Of course the situation they find themselves in has you rooting for them (even if what they're doing is morally wrong). Of course things won't go precisely according to plan.
Where the film could be better: the broad strokes it draws of its various supporting cast. Everyone is a caricature from the surly waitress to the deadbeat son-in-law to the '80s-sitcom-style seductress. If those characters hadn't been so blatantly written, it would have been more believable.
But if you just want a fun romp with more cameos than you can keep track of, you could do worse.
~~~
Monday, October 05, 2015
Black Mass
On Saturday I saw Black Mass, starring Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton.
Jimmy "Whitey" Bulger (Depp) loved his mother deeply. He was kind to old ladies. He was a doting father. He even took care of an abandoned cat in the neighborhood.
All of those things are true, as is the fact he was a malicious killer who terrorized the streets of Boston in the '70s and '80s as an Irish mob boss. This film tells of his decades evading justice as he used a childhood friend in the FBI to cover for him.
Spoiler alert: They're both now ending their days in prison.
Before they were caught, they each had a good run, though. Jimmy, defending his beloved Southie territory using whatever means necessary, and John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) climbing the ranks of the FBI by claiming Jimmy was a big-time informant.
Depp is icy cold as the brooding Bulger, always calm and collected even in the most gruesome times of violence. Edgerton is obnoxious and twitchy—apparently incredibly accurate—in his portrayal of Connolly, who in a weird, warped way always idolized Bulger. The attacks are frequent and the blood flows freely, but if you can anticipate when to look away, the other aspects of the movie will keep you glued to the screen.
In addition to the two leads, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Julianne Nicholson and Dakota Johnson all do a fine job in their supporting roles, but the real stand-out for me was Peter Sarsgaard as cocaine addict Brian Halloran. His brief time on screen was so memorable, he was who we were talking about as we left the theater.
The movie (and its real-life horrors) will stay with you for hours, maybe days after you see it. If you're tough enough to see this, be sure to stay to the very end where they show footage of the real criminals.
It's comforting to know that many of the people involved were in fact brought to justice, but the magnitude of the crimes still haunt.
~~~
Jimmy "Whitey" Bulger (Depp) loved his mother deeply. He was kind to old ladies. He was a doting father. He even took care of an abandoned cat in the neighborhood.
All of those things are true, as is the fact he was a malicious killer who terrorized the streets of Boston in the '70s and '80s as an Irish mob boss. This film tells of his decades evading justice as he used a childhood friend in the FBI to cover for him.
Spoiler alert: They're both now ending their days in prison.
Before they were caught, they each had a good run, though. Jimmy, defending his beloved Southie territory using whatever means necessary, and John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) climbing the ranks of the FBI by claiming Jimmy was a big-time informant.
Depp is icy cold as the brooding Bulger, always calm and collected even in the most gruesome times of violence. Edgerton is obnoxious and twitchy—apparently incredibly accurate—in his portrayal of Connolly, who in a weird, warped way always idolized Bulger. The attacks are frequent and the blood flows freely, but if you can anticipate when to look away, the other aspects of the movie will keep you glued to the screen.
In addition to the two leads, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Julianne Nicholson and Dakota Johnson all do a fine job in their supporting roles, but the real stand-out for me was Peter Sarsgaard as cocaine addict Brian Halloran. His brief time on screen was so memorable, he was who we were talking about as we left the theater.
The movie (and its real-life horrors) will stay with you for hours, maybe days after you see it. If you're tough enough to see this, be sure to stay to the very end where they show footage of the real criminals.
It's comforting to know that many of the people involved were in fact brought to justice, but the magnitude of the crimes still haunt.
~~~
Monday, November 24, 2014
John Wick
On Wednesday, I saw John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves and Willem Dafoe.
John (Reeves) is a man of few words. Then again, he doesn't need many. He left a legendary life of crime when he fell in love with his wife, but now she's passed on and he's alone. Oh, so alone.
Until ... a puppy arrives. A gift arranged by his late wife, this little guy (who is painfully cute, but devoid of a name) becomes the light of his life. We see the puppy navigating his new life in the mansion that years of bloodshed built, and we can't help but fall for him too.
Of course, it's all a ploy to get us so emotionally attached to the dog that we won't be able to bear it when he's horrifically killed. What's worse? It's by some painfully dumb bad guys who don't realize this man's best friend belongs to John Wick.
Uh-oh.
That's when things get interesting. They stole Wick's car and killed his dog. Now, he wants revenge.
After unloading an arsenal of weapons that look like something out of a Middle-East military bunker, he begins to make that happen.
With a lot of clever choreography and some token at-the-loud-and-flashy club scenes, his fury is unleashed. Keanu broods a lot.
And it's fun, if you're into that sort of thing.
~~~
John (Reeves) is a man of few words. Then again, he doesn't need many. He left a legendary life of crime when he fell in love with his wife, but now she's passed on and he's alone. Oh, so alone.
Until ... a puppy arrives. A gift arranged by his late wife, this little guy (who is painfully cute, but devoid of a name) becomes the light of his life. We see the puppy navigating his new life in the mansion that years of bloodshed built, and we can't help but fall for him too.
Of course, it's all a ploy to get us so emotionally attached to the dog that we won't be able to bear it when he's horrifically killed. What's worse? It's by some painfully dumb bad guys who don't realize this man's best friend belongs to John Wick.
Uh-oh.
That's when things get interesting. They stole Wick's car and killed his dog. Now, he wants revenge.
After unloading an arsenal of weapons that look like something out of a Middle-East military bunker, he begins to make that happen.
With a lot of clever choreography and some token at-the-loud-and-flashy club scenes, his fury is unleashed. Keanu broods a lot.
And it's fun, if you're into that sort of thing.
~~~
Friday, August 15, 2014
Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger
Tonight I saw the documentary Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger.
Created by the same team that made the award-winning Paradise Lost series, this film has a similar storytelling style, rich with candid conversations, court transcripts and aerial shots of the star city (in this case, Boston).
The work examines volumes of official documents pertaining to the case against legendary Irish mobster Jimmy "Whitey" Bulger, interviewing attorneys from both sides as well as witnesses, journalists and family members of Bulger's victims.
At the heart of the argument is whether or not Whitey was ever really an informant for the FBI.
Thought it's been believed for years he was a "rat," there is compelling evidence to suggest FBI agent (and Bulger childhood friend) John Connelly was so smitten with the mobster that he falsified records to look as if he was, but he wasn't.
Truly, the corruption goes deeper and deeper—all the way to a safe at the Boston FBI headquarters that has since been removed (so we think, based on the 82-year-old secretary's testimony). It used to hold documents that were strictly protected with every regime change, but no longer exists. Those documents also illuminated the fact that Bulger was never really an informant, but was protected by the FBI at the highest levels.
Some of the most compelling moments of the film are the phone calls we get to hear between Bulger's defense attorney and Bulger himself. Whitey's voice is as sharp, clear and confident as one may expect. In some sequences, it's hard not to believe the words coming out of his mouth, as they're stated with such conviction.
Whatever your beliefs on the matter, the arguments here are guaranteed to spark questions, and the sadness of the people he harmed will pull at your heartstrings.
One can only hope that with him finally behind bars, justice has been served.
~~~
Created by the same team that made the award-winning Paradise Lost series, this film has a similar storytelling style, rich with candid conversations, court transcripts and aerial shots of the star city (in this case, Boston).
The work examines volumes of official documents pertaining to the case against legendary Irish mobster Jimmy "Whitey" Bulger, interviewing attorneys from both sides as well as witnesses, journalists and family members of Bulger's victims.
At the heart of the argument is whether or not Whitey was ever really an informant for the FBI.
Thought it's been believed for years he was a "rat," there is compelling evidence to suggest FBI agent (and Bulger childhood friend) John Connelly was so smitten with the mobster that he falsified records to look as if he was, but he wasn't.
Truly, the corruption goes deeper and deeper—all the way to a safe at the Boston FBI headquarters that has since been removed (so we think, based on the 82-year-old secretary's testimony). It used to hold documents that were strictly protected with every regime change, but no longer exists. Those documents also illuminated the fact that Bulger was never really an informant, but was protected by the FBI at the highest levels.
Some of the most compelling moments of the film are the phone calls we get to hear between Bulger's defense attorney and Bulger himself. Whitey's voice is as sharp, clear and confident as one may expect. In some sequences, it's hard not to believe the words coming out of his mouth, as they're stated with such conviction.
Whatever your beliefs on the matter, the arguments here are guaranteed to spark questions, and the sadness of the people he harmed will pull at your heartstrings.
One can only hope that with him finally behind bars, justice has been served.
~~~
Saturday, March 01, 2014
Labor Day
Today I saw Labor Day, starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin.
Adele (Winslet) is a single mother to Henry (Gattlin Griffith), and has such severe depression, she seldom leaves her home. Only when she has to tend to Henry's needs, does she depart.
Frank (Brolin) is an escaped convict who takes the two hostage and demands a safe haven as the manhunt for him begins. In their sleepy New Hampshire town, there are only so many places he could be (especially since he was injured during the escape), so one does wonder why there are no door-to-door searches.
That aside, I fully admit that I found this film completely satisfying.
Winslet recalls the pain she showed in Revolutionary Road, but plays it more understated this time. She's terrified of her intruder, but also drawn to what appears to be his kindness. Brolin is brooding, yet tender and Griffith is alternately horrified and curious. They all hit the right notes.
The longer Frank stays at the family home, the more useful he becomes. His handyman skills are put to use and for reasons we never learn, he's also an amazing cook/baker. As the film turns from suspense thriller to love story, we go with it. If someone as damaged as Adele really did receive a dangerous criminal in her home, who happened to be handsome and helpful, she may just fall for him. Hell, I would.
While other critics have nit-picked the obvious flaws (Frank is often outside; the townspeople are nosy but never discover him), the oversights didn't bother me here. I enjoyed spending time in this world; watching them drink Yuban coffee, bake peach pies and play vinyls on a record player while life just kept happening.
I'll be happy to watch this again.
Adele (Winslet) is a single mother to Henry (Gattlin Griffith), and has such severe depression, she seldom leaves her home. Only when she has to tend to Henry's needs, does she depart.
Frank (Brolin) is an escaped convict who takes the two hostage and demands a safe haven as the manhunt for him begins. In their sleepy New Hampshire town, there are only so many places he could be (especially since he was injured during the escape), so one does wonder why there are no door-to-door searches.
That aside, I fully admit that I found this film completely satisfying.
Winslet recalls the pain she showed in Revolutionary Road, but plays it more understated this time. She's terrified of her intruder, but also drawn to what appears to be his kindness. Brolin is brooding, yet tender and Griffith is alternately horrified and curious. They all hit the right notes.
The longer Frank stays at the family home, the more useful he becomes. His handyman skills are put to use and for reasons we never learn, he's also an amazing cook/baker. As the film turns from suspense thriller to love story, we go with it. If someone as damaged as Adele really did receive a dangerous criminal in her home, who happened to be handsome and helpful, she may just fall for him. Hell, I would.
While other critics have nit-picked the obvious flaws (Frank is often outside; the townspeople are nosy but never discover him), the oversights didn't bother me here. I enjoyed spending time in this world; watching them drink Yuban coffee, bake peach pies and play vinyls on a record player while life just kept happening.
I'll be happy to watch this again.
Labels:
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Friday, December 07, 2012
Killing Them Softly
Yesterday I saw Killing Them Softly, starring Brad Pitt and Richard Jenkins.
Jackie (Pitt) is brought in to restore order to a community of criminals after some amateurs rob a mobster card game.
His driver (Jenkins) acts as a supervisor removed from the violence; Mickey (James Gandolfini) is the pro Jackie outsources to finish off a guy who knows him.
In between this all, some other men get high (and we're treated to an ridiculously long scene from their POV), while another gets almost beaten to death for the robbery (though he was uninvolved).
There's also a beautiful hooker, a lot of drinks, multiple gun shots, a few driving scenes and even a shot of one of the criminals walking his dog.
I'm not sure if this film was an attempt at Tarantino-style action or just a very confusing episode of The Sopranos gone wrong, but whatever it was, it wasted the wealth of talent within.
Be smart and skip this one.
~~~
Jackie (Pitt) is brought in to restore order to a community of criminals after some amateurs rob a mobster card game.
His driver (Jenkins) acts as a supervisor removed from the violence; Mickey (James Gandolfini) is the pro Jackie outsources to finish off a guy who knows him.
In between this all, some other men get high (and we're treated to an ridiculously long scene from their POV), while another gets almost beaten to death for the robbery (though he was uninvolved).
There's also a beautiful hooker, a lot of drinks, multiple gun shots, a few driving scenes and even a shot of one of the criminals walking his dog.
I'm not sure if this film was an attempt at Tarantino-style action or just a very confusing episode of The Sopranos gone wrong, but whatever it was, it wasted the wealth of talent within.
Be smart and skip this one.
~~~
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Drive
Today I saw Drive, starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan.
A Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) strikes up a friendship with his neighbor, Irene (Mulligan), with whom he shares an immediate chemistry, but soon learns she is married. Her husband is in prison and will be home in the next few weeks.
In the meantime, the Driver acts as a caretaker for Irene and her young son, not pretending to deny the elephant in the room.
By day the Driver works on Hollywood sets and in a nearby garage; by night he drives getaway cars but somehow manages to keep his hands clean of the crimes ... until Irene's husband comes home.
Standard (Oscar Isaac) owes a debt to some folks from his prison days. He wants to lead a crime-free life, but fears what may happen to his family if he doesn't make good on the promise. He mentions his predicament to the Driver, who agrees to help him purely to keep Irene and her son safe.
When the robbery spirals out of control (featuring an electric cameo from Mad Men's Christina Hendricks), the Driver finds himself guilty of more than driving, and in the worst danger of his life.
Ryan Gosling plays the main character with a controlled chaos that's fastly becoming his trademark. You can see by the look in his eyes he'll do anything for this woman, yet he's a man of few words. Only the Johnny Depps and Leo Dicaprios of the world could've played this part as well.
A Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) strikes up a friendship with his neighbor, Irene (Mulligan), with whom he shares an immediate chemistry, but soon learns she is married. Her husband is in prison and will be home in the next few weeks.
In the meantime, the Driver acts as a caretaker for Irene and her young son, not pretending to deny the elephant in the room.
By day the Driver works on Hollywood sets and in a nearby garage; by night he drives getaway cars but somehow manages to keep his hands clean of the crimes ... until Irene's husband comes home.
Standard (Oscar Isaac) owes a debt to some folks from his prison days. He wants to lead a crime-free life, but fears what may happen to his family if he doesn't make good on the promise. He mentions his predicament to the Driver, who agrees to help him purely to keep Irene and her son safe.
When the robbery spirals out of control (featuring an electric cameo from Mad Men's Christina Hendricks), the Driver finds himself guilty of more than driving, and in the worst danger of his life.
Ryan Gosling plays the main character with a controlled chaos that's fastly becoming his trademark. You can see by the look in his eyes he'll do anything for this woman, yet he's a man of few words. Only the Johnny Depps and Leo Dicaprios of the world could've played this part as well.
The directing is also phenomenal—a battle is acted out in shadows; flashes of light build tension after a crash and nothing is as scary as the glimpse we get of a bad guy through the bathroom blinds.
All of this is intensified by a perfect musical score. The sounds that accompany the actions add to instead of subtract from the action, and there's plenty of it.
I could've done without much of the blood and gore, but none of it was gratuitous. In fact, it was probably all the more shocking because it was completely believable.
Easily one of the best films of 2011.
~~
Labels:
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Sunday, January 02, 2011
I Love You Phillip Morris
Today I saw I Love You Phillip Morris, starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.
Truth will always be stranger than fiction, and that's certainly the case in the story of Steven Russell, the man on which this film is based.
Russell (Carrey) had a normal upbringing (with the exception of finding out he was adopted), which led to a normal adulthood that saw him become a respected husband, father and cop.
His wife Debbie (Leslie Mann) was a Jesus-loving goody-two-shoes who only wanted the best for everyone. She was clueless to the double-life Steven was living as a gay man and shocked when she found out about it after he was in a car accident. His "epiphany" to tell the *cough* truth.
Russell moved to Florida, got a boyfriend and began living the high life. The problem was, he couldn't afford the lifestyle he desired, so he began devising cons to pay his way. Eventually the cons caught up with him and he landed in prison, where he met (maybe) the love-of-his-life, Phillip Morris (McGregor). Steven immediately falls for Phillip and eventually gets them both out of prison to live their dream life together, but can't seem to stop the deception. This, of course, causes problems.
The story itself is completely true and undeniably fascinating; the movie has its moments.
Though warned by one of my show's listeners that it was awful, I forged on determined to give it a chance, but I can't deny I was truly let down.
Jim Carrey's portrayal of Russell has too much In Living Color Jim Carrey and not enough Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Jim Carrey.
Though the real con man is arguably an exaggerated personality, the mannerisms in which Carrey represents him don't for a minute ring true. There's posing and hanging on words and extended glances. There's an ease to the vocal impersonations that can't possibly have been as natural for Russell as they were for Carrey.
I'm not sure it's the actor's fault—perhaps the director encouraged him to go full out—but whomever's decision it was made the wrong one.
Ewan McGregor, on the other hand, was pitch perfect. His naive, sweet Morris is just how the real gentleman is said to behave and not for an instant did I doubt he was in love with Russell. And that's not an easy set of emotions to convey.
Anyone who has fallen for a liar knows that it is the most painful relationship you'll ever endure. First, they convince you better than anyone that you are worthy of being loved in the highest regard, then when you catch on that most of what comes out of their mouth is false, you doubt that any of your previous time together was real. It's excruciating (trust me, I've been there) and often even the liar doesn't realize how much damage their doing to the other person because they only know what the easy way out is, and that's usually not the side of things that confronts devastating pain.
McGregor nails these conflicted feelings with expressions and body language that bear his scars.
Leslie Mann is a delight as the devout Debbie, and each time she would appear on-screen I would wish that her scenes lasted longer.
It's just that the film focused too long on spotlighting the comical side of Carrey and never addressed the weight of what really became of these folks (Russell's sentence is one of the most severe in Texas, though he never physically hurt anyone; Morris and Mrs. Russell's lives will never be the same).
I'd have rather seen a documentary.
~~~
Truth will always be stranger than fiction, and that's certainly the case in the story of Steven Russell, the man on which this film is based.
Russell (Carrey) had a normal upbringing (with the exception of finding out he was adopted), which led to a normal adulthood that saw him become a respected husband, father and cop.
His wife Debbie (Leslie Mann) was a Jesus-loving goody-two-shoes who only wanted the best for everyone. She was clueless to the double-life Steven was living as a gay man and shocked when she found out about it after he was in a car accident. His "epiphany" to tell the *cough* truth.
Russell moved to Florida, got a boyfriend and began living the high life. The problem was, he couldn't afford the lifestyle he desired, so he began devising cons to pay his way. Eventually the cons caught up with him and he landed in prison, where he met (maybe) the love-of-his-life, Phillip Morris (McGregor). Steven immediately falls for Phillip and eventually gets them both out of prison to live their dream life together, but can't seem to stop the deception. This, of course, causes problems.
The story itself is completely true and undeniably fascinating; the movie has its moments.
Though warned by one of my show's listeners that it was awful, I forged on determined to give it a chance, but I can't deny I was truly let down.
Jim Carrey's portrayal of Russell has too much In Living Color Jim Carrey and not enough Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Jim Carrey.
Though the real con man is arguably an exaggerated personality, the mannerisms in which Carrey represents him don't for a minute ring true. There's posing and hanging on words and extended glances. There's an ease to the vocal impersonations that can't possibly have been as natural for Russell as they were for Carrey.
I'm not sure it's the actor's fault—perhaps the director encouraged him to go full out—but whomever's decision it was made the wrong one.
Ewan McGregor, on the other hand, was pitch perfect. His naive, sweet Morris is just how the real gentleman is said to behave and not for an instant did I doubt he was in love with Russell. And that's not an easy set of emotions to convey.
Anyone who has fallen for a liar knows that it is the most painful relationship you'll ever endure. First, they convince you better than anyone that you are worthy of being loved in the highest regard, then when you catch on that most of what comes out of their mouth is false, you doubt that any of your previous time together was real. It's excruciating (trust me, I've been there) and often even the liar doesn't realize how much damage their doing to the other person because they only know what the easy way out is, and that's usually not the side of things that confronts devastating pain.
McGregor nails these conflicted feelings with expressions and body language that bear his scars.
Leslie Mann is a delight as the devout Debbie, and each time she would appear on-screen I would wish that her scenes lasted longer.
It's just that the film focused too long on spotlighting the comical side of Carrey and never addressed the weight of what really became of these folks (Russell's sentence is one of the most severe in Texas, though he never physically hurt anyone; Morris and Mrs. Russell's lives will never be the same).
I'd have rather seen a documentary.
~~~
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